SunLive Competition

Springtime is a great time to plant vegetables. Here are some top tips for a successful harvest this summer.

1. Weed it and clean it! Remove all weeds and unwanted dead plants from last season’s garden to leave a clean canvas to start with.
2. Dig it! Dig in green manure crops and well-rotted compost to freshen up your veggie plot before you begin planting new seasons crops. This will aerate the soil and increase worm activity prior to planting.
3. Feed it! Spread a generous amount of fertiliser over the top of your veggie beds and fork it in. It’s vital to blend in the fertiliser as it can burn the roots of young vegetables if left lying on top of the soil. Nitrophoska extra is perfect for most veggies
4. Level it! Ideally its best to have a level surface where possible to grow your vegetables it. If you have hollows and low patches, water tends to puddle in these areas and can cause problems with pest and disease. Rake your beds level once all the digging has been done.
5. Seed it! Sowing seeds is quick and economical. Some veggies such as carrots and parsnips can only be grown from seed. Onions, lettuces, salads greens, beans, corn, parsnips, carrots, beetroot and radishes can all be sown now outside. Cold sensitive seedlings such as basil, tomatoes, cucumbers and melons can be sown in trays indoors until the weather warms.
6. Spud it! Potatoes take about 3 months to grow, ensure you get certified seed potatoes and sprout them prior to planting them out. Plant them 30cm apart and feed the soil with potato fertiliser for a bumper crop. 
7. Plant it! Vegetable seedlings can be planted out, choose healthy looking plants in punnets or bundles. Broccoli, leeks, spinach, celery, cabbage and cauliflower can all be planted now. Don’t be tempted to plant all your veggies at once, succession planting every few weeks will ensure you won’t have a glut of one veggie ready at the same time.

8. Pot it! If space or time is an issue, plenty of crops thrive grown in pots or containers. Potatoes, lettuces, tomatoes and herbs are easy to grow options. Ranges of planters are made just for this purpose and come in fashionable colours. Look out for Potato, berry and tomato planters, veggie bags and the new carrot planters from Haxnicks.
9. Water it! Once planted keep the veggie garden moist. If you have a sandy or dry soil, which drains quickly add compost and saturaid to enable to soil to hold onto more moisture. Many crops will bolt and die if grown in dry soils. 
10. Bug it! Slugs and snails are hungry for fresh leaves to much on. Be vigilant and lay Quash slug and snail bait round all your precious veggies to ensure what you munch don’t crunch with any unwanted livestock. Eggs shells, sheep dags and pine needles act to deter them as well.
11. Watch it! Learn how to plant your own veggie patches by visiting www.tuitime.co.nz” for free video guides on growing your own spuds, berries, tomatoes, lawns, vegetables.

12. Read it! The NZ Vegetable Garden is the complete guide to growing vegetables. It shows you tips and tricks to ensure a bountiful harvest and include tasty recipes for each crop.
13. Swap it! Save money by swapping seedlings, plants and even crops with friends and neighbours when you have too many of something.
14. Eat it! Fresh is best, the flavour, convenience and self-satisfaction from growing your own is rewarding. Get growing in your patch this season – just do it!

The Weekend Sun has a spring vegetable growing kit valued at $70, featuring 40 litres of Tui Vegetable Mix, 30 litres of Tui Tomato Mix, 1.5kg of Tui Vegetable Food and a Tui Kids’ Garden Book, to give away to lucky readers.

Competition Results

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